Baby Bird
by Normryl
Summary: Summary: Daryl and Carl explore the woods together. Set after season two, almost into season three. One shot.


**Title: Baby Bird**  
Summary: Daryl and Carl explore the woods together.  
Notes: Set after season two, almost into season three.

* * *

_**If a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, **_

_**he can learn more than what is in books**_

* * *

It wasn't what he'd expected.

When Daryl had motioned for him to come with him into the woods, he thought they were going to scout ahead, maybe find some cabin deep in the woods and bring back supplies for the group.

Instead, Daryl was wandering around the woods, looking at plants and gathering things up for the group.

Occasionally, Daryl picked up a stick that was straight and sturdy enough to make into a bolt. And he'd add that to the pile of plants and sticks they'd be returning with.

He sighed, disappointed.

Daryl was ahead of him slightly, pulling up some weird looking plant and as Carl reached him and drew level, Daryl held it up for him to see.

"Prickly pear," was Daryl's limited explanation as he gathered up all he could. He held a piece out for Carl, who shook his head.

"No thanks, I've still got my stem," he said, holding out the fresh sapling Daryl had given him earlier. Daryl had eaten one himself but Carl wasn't exactly encouraged to try it himself.

Daryl just turned back to the task at hand and Carl ventured away slightly.

It seemed absurd to him. Taking back a few stems and prickly pears wasn't going to feed all of them. He thought Daryl might at least try and bag a squirrel or something, but he didn't seem to be looking for anything like that.

"Don't go too far," Daryl warned him as he moved a little further away, dropping back to his knees again and collecting something else.

Carl shook his head at Daryl. He was certain he could find something more exciting out here. There had to be something.

He didn't realise how far away from Daryl he had wandered when he found it.

It was almost concealed by plant down by the base of the tree, but he caught a glimpse of it move, heard the tiniest noise and he bent down close.

A bird fallen from it's nest. Eyes barely open, beak parted as small sounds came from it. It barely had any feathers, the skin underneath them visible.

"Daryl?!" Carl called loudly.

The older man shot up and over to him quickly, Carl sounding more alarmed that he had realised to the hunter's ears. He reached Carl quickly and took mere seconds for him to realise what Carl had spotted.

"What should we do?" Carl asked, leaning in closer to the bird to have a look, aching to touch it, but he held back.

Daryl, unseen by Carl, looked up towards the nest. High enough up that reaching it would be a stupid thing to do. No sound of the mother bird calling for her lost chick.

"Leave it."

"What? We can't just leave it down here. It'll die." Carl said, blue eyes looking up at Daryl, the picture of innocence.

"Not everything is supposed to survive," Daryl said. "C'mon." he said, walking away from the bird and heading back towards the camp.

Carl looked at the bird again. Felt the threat of tears prick his eyes. He wasn't going to come out into the woods with Daryl and cry over a bird.

He breathed in through his nose and stood up quickly moving to catch up with the other man.

Daryl had his bag and crossbow slung over his back, absently chewing on his thumbnail as he easily lead them through the woods and back to the others.

Carl just had the stem of that new plant Daryl had given him. A leaf and two unopened one was all that was one it. He ran it between his fingers watching it absently as he followed Daryl.

And Daryl was lost in thought, thinking what he'd say when Carl questioned him. _'Why didn't you save it? Why wouldn't you try?'_ Because he knew Carl was upset with him for just leaving it there like that.

But Carl never did. he stayed quiet, until he did break the silence but not how Daryl thought he would.

"Something will happen to it, right? It'll get eaten, or it'll somehow survive. That's just how it works. Right?"

Daryl nodded. "Gotta give it a chance out there. And if it's not lucky, it'll give something else a chance."

"Everything's food for something else." Carl said, reminded of a conversation they had back at the farm with his Mom. Before things got real bad.

Before they left the farm, before Shane died.

Before his Mother became a burden to them all with her pregnancy.

His own anger at the situation boiled up then inside of him.  
But then he thought about that bird. It was going to die, he could tell.

And Daryl knew too. Maybe he just didn't want to kill the little thing.

It wasn't big enough to eat, being so young. It couldn't do anything for itself.  
It didn't stand a chance.

And that would be the baby when it was born. Helpless.

"What's this again?" Carl asked, holding up the bit of plant.

"Greenbriar."

Carl ate it. Looked over to Daryl who was waiting for his response.

Carl shrugged. "It's alright."

"Yeah," Daryl said.


End file.
